Type-writer-carriage-operating mechanism.



, PATENTED SEPT. s, 1903. w. BAER. TYPE WRITER CARRIAGE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 24, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

INVENTOH Willie? WBaer ATTORNEY WITNESSES No. "racers.

UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1 903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WVALTER WVESLEY BAER, OF NANAIMO, CANADA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,27 3, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed March 24, 1902. Serial No. 99,777. (No model.)

1'0 alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER WESLEY BAER, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Nanailno, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented a new and useful Type-Writer-Carriage-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates toan improved means for operating the slidable paper-carriage of a type-writing machine by an elastic fluid-pressure, and as the same agency is designed to efiect the advance and return of the carriage I am enabled to dispense altogether with the objectionable coil-spring in common use for drawing the carriage and obtain a smoother and more regular motion, and therefore better work. I secure a carriage-return controlled from from the keyboard, by which the attention of the operator is not diverted by requiring to lift and return the carriage, and I attain also several other incidental advantages, which I shall enumerate after describing the mechanical construction of my device.

In general description my method is to operate the sliding of the carriage by suitably connecting it to a'piston slidable in a cylinder secured to a convenient part of the machine-frame, such piston being acted on by a fluid-pressure, preferably elastic. The admission of the fluid to either side of the piston and its exhaust from the opposite side are controlled by a stop-cock actuated by a special key in the keyboard and also automatically reversed at the termination of the return stroke by an engaging mechanism in the same system, the arrangement of which Will be fully described later.

My device is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being a plan and part section of'my attachment; Fig. 2, an elevation; Fig. 3, an end elevation; and Fig. at, a horizontal section of the cock, showing the plug in an opposite position to that shown in Fig. 1. V

In the drawings the frame of a type-writer is indicated byf, the back guide-bar of its carriage by b, and the carriage-bearing, slidable on the bar I), by c.

Secured to the frame of the machine in a position convenient for connection to the carriage and axially parallel to the slide of the same is a hollow cylinder 2 having closed ends, and slidable Within this cylinder is a suitablypacked piston 3, the stroke of which is equal to the extreme required movement of the carriage.

Secured to the piston'3 is the piston-rod 4, slidable through a gland 2 in one end of the cylinder, and the outer end of this rod 4. is connected back by the bar 5 to any convenient portion 0 of the slidable paper-carriage of the machine.

Fluid under a suitable pressure to actuate the piston and its attached mechanism at the desired speed is conveyed from a reservoir conveniently placed and admitted to the branch 10 of a cook 10, which has branches 10 and 10 connected-by pipes 11 and 12 to opposite ends of the cylinder 2, and an exhaust-passage 10 The plug 15 of this cock has portslfi and 15 and the relative positions of the passages in the cock-body 10 and the ports in the plug 15 are so arranged that when the cock is in one position one end of the cylinder is in communication with the reservoir and the other end is opened to exhaust, (see Fig. 1,) while a partial rotation of the plug reverses this order. (See Fig. 2.) The required movement of the cock-plug 15 is effected by means of a short lever 16, secured to it, the free end of which is connected by a rod 17 to a lever 18 on a rocking shaft 19 in bearings 20 on the side frame of the machine. The front end of this shaft-11 e, op-

' posite the keyboardis provided with a keylever 21, by depressing which the plug of the valve is turned to the position shown in Fig. 1, admitting the fluid through the pipe 12 to return the carriage to the position for beginning a line.

The lever 18 has an upward prolongation 18, adapted to engage a portion of the car riage c a short distance beforethe end of its backward stroke, by which means the cockplug-operating system is moved to turn the cock-plug, admit the fluid to the opposite side of the piston through the pipe ll, and simultaneously open the other end of the cylinder to the exhaust, (see Fig. 4,) and the carriage is ready to again advance. This reversal of the fluid action is so set as to cushion the momentum of the returning carriage, and the movement of the lever through the rocking shaft also raises the key-lever into position for reversal when again required.

The action of my carriage-operating mechanism in use may now be readily followed and its advantages appreciated. At the beginning of a line the piston and carriage are at the left-hand side of the drawings in Figs. 1 and 2, as my device is shown attached to the back of a machine, the cock-plugbeing in the position of Fig. 4 and the fluid acting to move the piston and with it the carriage from left to right under the control and check of the ordinary spacing device of the machine. As the operating side of the piston is in direct communication with the reservoir, the carriage will advance step by step under a practically constant pressu re throughout each line, and whenever it is required to return the carriage, either on completion of the line or from any intermediate point, the operator depresses the key provided, the plug 15 is turned, and the fluid admitted to the righthand end, while the left-hand end is opened to the exhaust, as shown in Fig. 1. The carriage then slides freely back for the beginning of a new line, the direction of the fluidpressure is reversed by engagement of the carriage with the lever prolongation 18, and the carriage comes to rest quietly and with out shock. with the fluid-pressure ready to operate the advance of the next line.

I have described the operating agency throughout as a fluid-pressure, preferably elastic. The choice of a suitable one must depend very largely upon the locality. Oompressed air is what I have used for my experimental machine, and though I have found it suitable in every respect it may in large cities be found more convenient to use some of the various compressed orliquefied gases, the storage of which requires very little room. The connection between reservoir and machine should be provided with a globe-valve or stop-cock, so that the supply of air to the machine may be controlled or shut off altogether when not required.

It will be readily seen that my method of operating the carriage has many advantages, among which may be mentioned, first, the use of an elastic medium of practically constant effort to press the carriage forward during writing, resulting in a particularly quiet movement free from the jerky inconstant elfort of a spring-impelled carriage; second, a speedy return from the end or any intermediate point of a line under direct control from the keyboard, by which the attention of the operator is not diverted as in lifting and carrying back the carriage and is better concentrated on his work; third, the automatic reversal of the direction of effort and cushioned check to absorb the momentum of the returning carriage.

Having now particularly described my invention and the manner of its operation, what I claimas new, and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the reciprocal carriage; of a fluid operating means for reciprocating the said carriage, comprising a cylinder held in a plane parallel with the axis of the reciprocal carriage and near the top of the carriage, a piston operating in the cylinder, a horizontal bar lying in a plane parallel with the cylinder and directly joining the cylinder with the carriage, and means for controlling the air feed and exhaust for the cylinder, as set forth.

2. In a type-writing mechanism including a reciprocal platen-carriage, a fluid operating means for reciprocating the said carriage, comprising a cylinder mounted on the main frame in the horizontal plane of the carriage and parallel therewith, a piston slidable in a plane with the carriage, a lever pivotally connected to the piston and tothe carriage and lying in a plane parallel therewith, means for feeding and exhausting the air into and from the cylinder, and means operated by the carriage for changing the direction of application of the fluid to the piston and for the purpose specified.

3. In a type-writing machine having a carriage slidable bymeans of a cylinder and piston, and means by which a fluid under pressure may be admitted to either side of the piston, and exhausted therefrom; a means by which such fluid-controlling valve or cook may be operated from the keyboard; and means by which it may also be operated by the moving carriage to change the direction of application of the fluid, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In a type-writing machine having a slidable carriage operated in either direction by fluid-pressure controlled by a key in the keyboard of the machine; means by which the returning carriage may operate the fluid-reversing valve, and thereby change the direction of the fluids effort on the piston before the end of its stroke.

5. In a type-writing machine having a slidable carriage; a hollow cylinder axially parallel to the slide of the carriage; a piston and rod slidable within the cylinder; a connection between the piston-rod and the slidable carriage of the machine; said connection consisting of a rod lying in the horizontal plane and parallel with the cylinder, means for admitting a fluid under pressure to either side of the piston, while opening the other side to the exhaust; means for operating such fluiddirecting device from the keyboard of the machine; and means for operating the same from a part or attachment of the slidable carriage for changing the direction of application of fluid to the piston, substantially as shown.

6. In a type-writing machinehavingaslidable carriage; the cylinder 2 secured to the frame of the machine; the piston 3 and its rod 4 slidable therein; the connecting-bar 5 coupling the piston-rod to a part of the slidable carriage of the machine; the cook 10 IIO having an inlet-port l and exhaust-port and ports 10 and 10 connected by pipes 11 and 12 to opposite ends of the cylinder-2; the cockplug 15 having ports 15 and 15 adapted to connect the inlet-port 10" to one end of the cylinder, while the other is open to the exhaust; the lever 16 attached to the plug of the cook; the connecting-link 17 between the free end of the lever 16 and a lever 18, secured to a rocking shaft 19, extending in bearings 20 toward the keyboard of the machine; a key-lever 21 secured to the rocking shaft 19, and conveniently arranged in the keyboard; and an upward extension 18 of the leverl8, adapted to be engaged by the carriage 0, sub stantially as and for the purposes described.

7. As EtIlllIlPlOVGlIlODl] in type-writers, the combination with the reciprocating carriage; a cylinder arranged in a plane parallel with the carriage and in close proximity thereof,

a piston'operating in the cylinder, a connection joining the piston with the carriage, said connection consisting of a rod arranged parallel with and above the cylinder, means for leading a fluid under pressure into the cylinder against either end of the piston, said means including handoperating valve devices for exhausting the cylinder, means op- 

